[Issac Hunt]

OK, so this is a quick 'how-to' guide to putting an Audi OEM reversing camera into a 2007 B7 A4 Saloon.

These are the parts that I used, from Kufatec.de and from Audi themselves.

Kufatech
35542 - Wiring harness for IMA Audi RNS E "Basic" / "Basic-Plus"
35676 - Wiring IMA auto switch Rear View Cam Audi RNS-E
35538 - IMA Integrated Multimedia Adapter mit Steuerung "Basic-Plus"
36136 - connection kit original rear view camera VAG to IMA

Audi
4L0 980 551 - Rear View Camera
4L0 827 574 3F2 - Door handle
4L0 980 553 - Camera retaining clip
N 909 159 01 - Tapping Screw

Here we can see the OEM camera and new number plate light assembly which will hold the camera in position.

Here we can see a close up of the camera installed within its new housing.

So the first job is to strip out the trims inside the boot and on the inside of the boot.



Remove the floor trim and spare wheel.

Remove the trim on the back of the rear seat - pop off the clips circled in red and it comes away easily.

Next, take out the trim covering the boot latch, remove the 2 10 mm nuts and it simply pops off in a upward direction.

Now take out the plastic clip circled in red and ease out the side trim, Its a bit tight but it will go in the end!

Now you need to remove the trim covering the inside of the boot, Firstly get rid of the warning triangle.
There is one screw inside the internal pull-down handle and then the 8 spring clips are simply popped off and the trim is off.

Next week need to remove the old number plate light assembly. 4 10mm nuts are accessed from inside and the multi-plug to the boot release handle are removed and it will simply withdraw from the boot. Like so:

As the B7 A4 never had a factory fitted OEM camera option, we are using kit from the A6+Q7. Therefore when the Q7 number plate light assembly is fitted there is no longer room for the original boot lock. I had never used it in the year I have owned the car so I wasnt concerned about losing it.

You need to release the plastic clip holding the boot release cable to the lock and then it simply turns within the number light assembly and comes out. It can be a bit stiff to turn so I put the key in to assist in turning it. And here it is once removed:

You also need to unplug the wire on the boot lock and secure it out the way - it wont be used again - it simply sends a signal telling the car what position the boot lock was in.

Next up we need to fit the new housing, some people have reported the need to cut out some of the metal from inside the boot to make this all fit! I can confirm that this IS NOT required. You simply need to fit the new housing without the camera fitted, this allows it to fit into the aperture in the boot. When then the new handle is in, secure it using the 4 10mm nuts - They dont need to be too tight! And then ensure the multiplug is connected to the boot release handle. I tested the operation of the boot release before I closed the boot.

Didnt want to find the boot would not open, thankfully all was well, the boot opens fine with either the remote button or the push-botton on the boot handle. Then fit the the camera into the housing and secure using the mounting plate and screw that are listed in the parts required section. You can't go wrong here because it will only fit into the housing one-way. So you cant put it in upside down!

Then we should be left with something like this:

I know from the picture it looks like there could be a gap a the top of the trim but its just the angle of the camera. The number plate light trim is an exact match from the one that was removed. No cutting, trimming or bodging to fit was required. Now connect the long extension wire from kufatec to the OEM camera, there is one 'FAKRA' type plug and another 2 pin plug for power/earth. These are plug and play, again no bodging required!

Next up is the fiddly bit. Feeding the Kufatec wire through the rubber grommet that connects the boot and the body. As we already have the innner side boot trim removed you should be able to see where the wires come through into the car. Feed the wires throug the boot, down into the bottom left hand corner where the boot is fitted.

I managed to feed a stiff piece of wire through the boot first and then using very strong tape I attahced the Kufatec wire to this and pulled it through. I used a few drops of washing up liquid to help ease the wire through the rubber as it can be quite a tight fit. Just take your time and pull the wire through SLOWLY to prevent it falling off or potentialy damaging anything if your were to slip or make a mistake.

 

[Issac Hunt]

When all is done, re-fit the rubber grommets into the boot and the body. Now we need to route the wires down the car and through the passenger compartment. I chose to route down the passenger side as the wires would need to be behind the glovebox for connection into the IMA+

I popped out the rear bench seat, just pulls upwards at the front edge and lifts out - no tools are required. Under here there was already an exisiting wiring loom so I chose to follow that, I secured it with a few cable-ties to keep it all secure.

I found there was no need to remove the trims in the passenger compartment as the wire is only thin and there was enough flexibility in the plastic for me to ease my fingers underneath to raise it a little bit. Then I simply pushed the wire under the trims, all the way along the inside of the car unitl we have the wire poking out into the passenger footwell area.

Next up the glovebox needs to come out, remove the 5 8mm bolts circled in red, the top three are inside the glovebox whilst the bottom 2 are underneath it.

I then fed the wires we have taken form the back of the car around to the location of the IMA+ Following Kufatec intsruction manual these 4 wires are inserted into the correct pin slots in the IMA connector. At this point the RFSL connection was also made between pin C2 of the RNS-E and pin 3 on the IMA connector.

Using the correct 4 removal tools, release the RNS-E.

I connected the four wires from the IMA, CAN H+L, power and earth. Simply follow the diagram on the RNS-E to find out which is which. I forgot to write them down when they were connected! And plug the Video connector into the back of the RNS-E

I put a little piece of foam around the IMA+ to prevent any rattles and tucked all the wiring away neatly. Making sure nothing will catch when the glovebox is fitted or when the heater contols are moving.

Release the removal tools and push the RNS-E firmly back into position.

Refit the glovebox and all boot trims that were removed earlier.

Hey presto, you'd never know we had been in here!

To complete the job you need VAG-COM to change channel 4 on address 37 from 0 to 1. This enables auto-switching as long as you have 0550 SW or above.

Following the instruction with the IMA, set it up to tell the IMA a camera is present. A little menu comes up in the DIS and is controllable through the RNS-E buttons.

Link to the IMA+ install manual

Link to the IMA+ camera supplement

 

[Issac Hunt]

Short clip showing the auto-switching working as it should.



Picture quality is very good, colours are sharp and the image is stable.

I couldnt post it into the installations section but if a moderator would like to do so??

 

[AudiA4B6US]

very nice, thanks for sharing.

 

[PROXUS]

great DIY

 

[hackeron]

I really want to do this, but I have a B6 A4 (54 plate is B6, right?) - will I have any problems following this on a B6?

 

[PetrolDave]

I really want to do this, but I have a B6 A4 (54 plate is B6, right?) - will I have any problems following this on a B6?

B6 = small grille,B7 = big grille.

AFAIK the B6 should be OK with the same parts as the B7.

 

[S6Jonno]

Reversing camera into 4B S6 2003

I have retrofitted RNS-e with SW550, no Video box yet but thinking of the kufatec. To match the FISCON bluetooth. If I code the RNS-e correctly & use an alternative camera with composite signal ran from the back to the multimedia box will the RNS auto switch to AV input when I select reverse??

 

[NothingBUTasian]

If I wanted to run the OEM camera with an aftermarket unit, is it safe to say that all I need is the audi parts and the 36136 - connection kit original rear view camera VAG to IMA to convert the other end to a RCA - video input to plug into the aftermarket head unit aux port?

Joshua

 

[Issac Hunt]

The 36136 from kufatec.de doesnt terminate in an RCA connection. It has 4 seperate pins that go into the IMA wiring connector.

 

[hackeron]

Where would you recommend I get the Audi parts in the UK?

 

[PetrolDave]

I would have said vagparts but they've gone bust, so it's looks like a breakers yard or Audi at the moment.

 

[AvanTTix]

I got all the parts to install the RVC, but I wanted to double check what needed to be done in term of wiring before proceeding. After reading the Kufatec IMA Manual this is what I came up with:

I don't have a DVD player, so I'm guessing nothing else but the IMA Interface Connector is going to be plugged in the IMA itself. Any ideas what are the white, red and black next to the blue arrow are for? I'm guessing the red and white are some sort of video feed/input. What about the black one?

*EDIT* Pic updated w/ the correct annotations

 

[Akash]

Vagparts have gone bust?? I thought as much!
I bought some rear LED lights from them, wanted to check the current price as I sold them on via ebay but couldnt get into the site

 

[PetrolDave]

Vagparts have gone bust?? I thought as much!

I hear the poor GBP to EUR exchange rate made it impossible for them to make a profit.

 

[PROXUS]

Any ideas what are the white, red and black next to the blue arrow are for? I'm guessing the red and white are some sort of video feed/input. What about the black one?

small one is probably control line. I would assume it is bridge between module and CAB BUS to provide some control via NAV unit.

white and red are hard to tell. It could be 2 audio AUX (judging by the color coding) but for what purpose? Maybe for additional parking sensors?

 

[AvanTTix]

I think you're right on the audio. Issac has them connected and I suspect they're connected to his media player:

 

[Issac Hunt]

The red\white are RCA's for audio input and the smaller connector is the external device control line, for a DVD player etc. (Reply to PM also sent!)

 

[hackeron]

Night time performance

How does this work at night? - is the reversing tail light enough to light the road behind? --- do you have a screenshot/video showing this working at night?

 

[Akash]

I dont know about Audi as none of the cars I have owned or have had as loaners have had this in there - But I do want it in mine as a mod!

However, we have a CR-V in the house and that is excellent at night - it's not "night vision" and I would not say it has infrared lighting either because its not "green/grainy"
But it's just very good - Thinking about it... I wonder if it changes into b&w at night?
I suppose the CR-V has bigger and brighter rear lights so it might make a difference

Hate to think if this is the case, what mine would do because having the LED tail lights, I only have one reverse light!